Re: RE: Jam Session Etiquette

[Garry Hodgson <garry@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"HR" <party_man1@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> When I'm asked by an unknown musician if he /she can come up 
> and do a song , I say lets talk about on the break , then on the 
> break I take that person outside of ear shot and have them do a 
> little audition , from there it is a crap shoot whether I let them on
>  if they are shaky at best , and let them down politely and say 
> " You need to do a little wood shedding my friend " And also 
> explain why its critical to have a good showing on their first 
> night out if they want to get on stage again . I also say it is 
> not fair to the musicians who work with me to have some 
> one who is not ready to go on stage and jeopardize a gigs 
> length . I have had those who I turned down thank me later 
> after they improved and I had them on stage .

it seems to me this whole discussion boils down to this: respect.
respect for the player, for the rest of the band, for the music.  if 
they came back to thank you, it's because you showed them this
respect, and in the process, made them better musicians.  not
just by virtue of going home and practicing, but by making them
understand that by stepping onstage, they are taking responsiblity 
for the quality of everyone's experience.  and if they are not yet
good enough, the responsible thing is to wait until they are, and
work hard to become so.  and that's quite a lesson.


- ----
Garry Hodgson, Technology Consultant, AT&T Labs

Be happy for this moment.
This moment is your life.